GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 775 That the prices of one hundred years ago are at great variance with those of today may be readily seen from a study of the following prices as copied from a local newspaper of 1818: Coffee, 43 3/4c lb. ; tea, $2.24 lb. ; sugar, 16 2/3c lb. ; salt, 6c lb. ; calico, 56 1/2c yd. ; dimity, 75c yd. ; flannel, 62c yd.; muslin, 50c to $1.00 yd. ; linen, 62c yd.; silk, $2.00 yd.; cravats, 75c each ; bandana handkerchiefs, $1.25 each ; ribbon, 25c yd.; shoes, $1.25 pr.; suspenders, $1.00 pr. ; candles, 25c lb. ; copperas, 25c lb. ; lead, 12c lb. ; brooms. 30 1/2c each ; coffee mills, $1.25 each ; augurs, $4.33 each; bridle bits, $3.00 each ; brass kettles, $3.00 each; shovels, $1.75 each ; spades, $1.75 each; sheep shearers, 6272c pr. ; flax seed, 50c cwt.; butter, 1272c lb. ; eggs, 6 1/2c doz. THE FIRST PIANO MANUFACTURED IN GREENE COUNTY. There are few people living in Greene county today who know that pianos were once manufactured in Xenia, but in the days before the Civil War they were made in the town by the grandfather of J. Thorb Charters, now a jeweler of the city and president of the city commission. The great-great-grandfather of Mr. Charters, John by name, came from Scotland with his wife and two sons to America in 1784 and located in New York City. One of these two sons was George, then a lad of nine, .who, at the age of sixteen was apprenticed to the firm of Dodds & Claus, New York, to learn the "art and mystery" of the manufacture of musical instruments. He served an apprenticeship of six years from 1791, the original agreement between him and his employers now being in the hands of his great-grandson, J. Thorb Charters. At the expiration of his apprenticeship he went into business for himself in the manufacture of piano-fortes, later having a partner in the business. Subsequently George Charters decided to settle in Cincinnati. He was then married and had a number of children, but this did not deter him from making the long and hazardous trip. The family went overland to Pittsburgh, then took a raft for Cincinnati, arriving there sometime in the '20S. Here George Charters began the manufacture of pianos and had the honor of making the first piano in the state of. Ohio, and undoubtedly the first one west of the Alleghanies. He was there for a number of years, not more than ten probably, when he decided to locate in Greene county, Ohio. He was moved to this action largely because he wanted to rear his children in a Presbyterian community, and there was no church of his faith then in Cincinnati. The year 1833 found him with his large family located in Greene county on what is now known as the Duck farm near Bellbrook. It seems that he devoted all of his time to farming as long as he lived on the farm, but the desire to follow the trade for which he had been trained induced 776 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO him to locate in Xenia after a few years. Here he at once began the manufacture of pianos, this being probably in the latter part of the '30s or fore part of the '40s. It is not known how many pianos he manufactured, but it was evident that in such a newly settled community and with so many people with religious objections to the use of the piano he could not find a sale for many of them. George Charters had a son John, who, naturally, as might be expected, learned the trade. But it appears that John had also learned the trade of a jeweler in New York City. John, however, worked with his father making pianos, and after his father's death continued the business for a time. During the time he was making pianos himself he made the one which is now in the home of his grandson, J. Thorb Charters. This piano has his name inlaid in the case and bears evidence to the skill and craftsmanship of its builder. John Charters eventually quit the piano business and became interested in the making of daguerreotype pictures. He had more than a smattering of chemistry, and the making of this primitive picture necessitated a considerable knowledge of chemistry, a fact which lead John Charters into the business. There was a man in Xenia in the fore part of the '50s who had just introduced the people of the town to the daguerreotype, but his knowledge of chemistry was so deficient that he was forced to call on Charters for assistance. Charters showed such skill in the making of the pictures that he soon decided to buy out the artist then in the city and go into the business for himself. This he did and for a number of years he was the only daguerreotype artist in the town. Before this time he had been in the jewelry business, but this he sold and devoted all of his time to his new vocation—the making of daguerreotypes. His son, John, the father of J. Thorb Charters, followed his father in the jewelry business, establishing himself in this business in Xenia in 1854. Since the days of the grandfather of J. Thorb Charters there have been no pianos made in Xenia, but the piano made back in the '50s shows that its builder was indeed an artist of the first class. The piano is now nearly seventy years old, but it shows no flaw in its workmanship to this day. OPENING OF GREENE STREET. It is said that the love of money is the root of all evil. But it would be hard to get any citizen of Greene county to admit that Greene street in Xenia is an evil, and yet it was a desire on the part of the county commissioners to get money for the use of the county which led directly to the setting off of a part of the public square as a street. The commissioners first tried to sell a part of the square, and when they were baffled in this direction they resorted to leasing parts of the public square for fifteen-year periods. GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 777 In 1835 the commissioners needed money, and needed it badly. They had just completed a couple of years previously a two-story, six-room office building on the square, and in 1835 were in the midst of the erection of a new jail. Money they must have and here follows a curious effort on their part to get it. They conceived the idea (it would be uncharitable to say that it was conceived in sin) of leasing for a period of ninety-nine years, three separate lots : one lot on the southeast corner of the square, 22 1/2 by 68 feet; a lot immediately back of the aforesaid lot, 40 by 100 feet, the rear of this second lot abutting the alley on the south side of the jail lot ; finally, a lot 40 by 170 feet on Detroit street, beginning 80 feet from the southwest corner of the square. At this time, 1835, the county was already leasing to the town of Xenia, a strip of 80 feet wide on the north side of the square for a market house and yard, an engine house, public scales, and a public woodward. But in order that there might be access to the lots on the east side of the square the commissioners were forced to provide a street or alley along that side—hence came about the street known today as Greene. At the time the surveyor was laying off the square the commissioners had him to stake off a strip two poles—thirty-three feet—in width along the east side of the square. This strip, by an order of the commissioners, dated March 20, 1835, and recorded on their records the following day, became Greene street. The full record on the street is set forth in the following language from their records : The Commissioners of Greene County for the purpose and with a view to promote and subserve the interest of the County of Greene and public at large have and do hereby lay out off of the east end of the ground in the Town of Xenia, known and designated as the Public Square, a space of ground thirty-three feet in width, running from Main to Third Street in said town, and bounded on the east by the lots of James Gowdy and Mrs. Williams, said space of thirty-three feet in width to remain forever open and free as one of the public streets of the said town, and it is ordered that a copy of this order be recorded in the Office of the Recorder of the County, and that the Auditor of the County have a copy thereof published in the newspapers of Xenia for three weeks in succession.— The aforesaid street to be known by the name of Greene Street. James Gowdy was one of the purchasers of lots on the square in 1817, but was not allowed to keep them. It is evident that he was very much interested in having the commissioners set aside a street between his lots and the public square ; he may even have appeared before them personally and urged the action which they finally took. But so anxious was he to have the street laid out and maintained that on May 21, 1835, the day the street was set aside, he entered into an agreement whereby he agreed to donate to the county three hundred dollars for its use, the county to return the money to him or his heirs in case it decided to close the street. The money has undoubtedly been spent along time ago. This interesting agreement between the commissioners and Gowdy was as follows : 778 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO This is to certify that I have this day made a donation of three hundred dollars to the Commissioners of Greene County, viz., John Fudge, Timothy G. Bates & Ryan Gowdy, and their successors in office, to be used for the benefit of said County so long as a street or alley of thirty-three feet wide, extending from Chillicothe Street to Third Street on the east end of the Public Ground in the Town of Xenia is kept open for a public highway, to be used as other streets and alleys are used in said Town. It is expressly understood that should the above strip of ground at any time be closed or converted to any other use than that of a public street or alley, then the above sum of three hundred dollars is to be returned to me, or my heirs, without interest or damage to the County. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of March, 1835. JAMES GOWDY. Witness—W. Richards. And thus was horn Greene street, which today is lined with prosperous business houses, and at one time was probably the busiest thoroughfare in the city. With the opening of the street in 1835 the commissioners hoped to get some of the business men of the city to bid on the lease of the lots on the east side of the square. They ordered one lot, the one at the corner of Main and the newly laid out Greene, offered at public auction on May 25, 1835. The lessee was to have the lot for ninety-nine years, was to erect certain kind of buildings thereon, and to pay an annual sum for the first twenty years, the same to be determined by the bidding on the clay of the auction. At the expiration of the first twenty years, the land and buildings were to be revalued and a new rental agreed upon. The day for the sale of lease arrived—but no prospective lessees arrived. Evidently the business men of the town would rather erect their buildings on land to which they could get a title in fee simple. No further efforts were made to lease any part of the public square, excepting, of course, the part leased to the city of Xenia, its lease running up to the time of the Civil War. LEGISLATIVE ACTS OF IMPORTANCE TO GREENE COUNTY. Some punishments provided by the Legislature in 1803: Treason, murder, rape, malicious maiming and arson—death penalty. Forgery-3o lashes on bare back with fine equal to sum fraudulently obtained, and disfranchisement. Counterfeiting-39 lashes on bare back, fine of $1,000, disfranchisement. Robbery-59 lashes for first offense ; 100 lashes for second. Larceny—15 lashes for first offense ; 30 lashes for second. Horse stealing-59 lashes for first offense ; 'co for second. The Legislature of 1806-07 passed an act to regulate the squirrel depredations in the state. They were such a pest that farmers in parts of the state lost nearly all of their corn, and during some seasons they came in such droves across the state that they became worse pests than wolves, panthers or any of the wild animals then in the state. This act required every male citizen of military age (from 18 to 45) to turn in annually to the clerk of his township at least 100 squirrel scalps, for which a receipt was given. If less than this number was turned in, or none at all, he was required to pay three cents for each scalp less than the number stipulated. If the fortunate squirrel hunter turned in a number in excess of 100 he was given a receipt for the excess, and they were credited on his next year's quota. The money realized from those failing to turn in the required number of scalps, was divided pro rata at three cents per scalp among those who turned in an excess, GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 779 and this remaining excess, if any, was carried forward to their respective credits. No record has been found in Greene county to show how effectively this law was enforced in the county, but undoubtedly many a squirrel scalp found its bloody way to the township clerks of the county. The legislative act of January 25, 1819, provided for the re-establishment of the line between Greene and Clark counties. The Legislature of 1830-31 provided for a commissioner of insolvents for each county in the state, who were empowered to grant relief to insolvent debtors and wind up their affairs. The act of March 19, 1838, abolished imprisonment for debt. The office of prosecuting attorney was filled by appointment from the beginning of the history of the state until the Legislature with the act of February 25, 1833, provided for the direct election of prosecutors by the voters of each county. Prior to that year they had been appointed by the judges of the common pleas courts. The establishment of agricultural societies was provided for by the act of February 25, 1833. By the act of March 14, 1836, all the banks in the state were required to pay 20 per cent of their dividends into the state treasury unless they should agree not to circulate bills of a less denomination than three dollars after the fourth of July, 1836, nor less than five dollars after the fourth of July, 1837, in which event the tax was to be five per cent. The issue of bank bills of a less denomination than three dollars was prohibited after July 4, 1839. The State Bank of Ohio was incorporated by the act of February 24, 1845. The capital stock was fixed at $6,150,000. The state was divided into twelve banking districts, and the act specified the maximum number of banks which could be established in each district. At least 3o per cent. of the capital stock of each bank was to be paid in gold or silver coin. By the act of December 19, 1836, the state of Ohio accepted its proportion of the surplus revenue of the United States, and by the act of March 28, 1837, apportioned it among the counties of the state according to the number of white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one, to be loaned on good and sufficient security and the income applied to the support of the common schools. All such loans were to be due and payable on or before January 1, 1850. On that date the county commissioners were required to have the same subject to the draft of the treasurer of the state, and by him applied to the extinction of the canal debt of the state, if the Legislature deemed it the best to use the money for that purpose. During the session of 1838-39 the Legislature elected John Alexander, of Xenia, as Receiver of Monies at Lima. The Mad River and Lake Erie railroad was chartered in 1838. The lapsed charter of the Little Miami railroad was revived by the act of February 15, 1844. The Columbus and Xenia railroad was chartered by the act of March 12, 1844. The Dayton and Western railroad was chartered by the Legislature with the act of February 4, 1846. The Xenia, Eaton & Indiana railroad was chartered with the act of February 24, 1848. The Cincinnati, Lebanon & Xenia railroad was chartered in 1850. The office of fence viewer was abolished by the act of January 26, 1843, and the duties of the office turned over to the township trustees. The trustees were allowed seventy-five cents per day when acting in the capacity of fence viewers. The act of March 4, 1886, abolished the October election, and fixed the date for the state election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the same date of the presidential election. SALOONS IN GREENE COUNTY. There can be no question that the days of the saloon are numbered, and the next decade will see most of them gone from the country ; in fact, there is every reason to believe that the present proposed amendment to the Federal 780 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO Constitution will be ratified by the required number of states, thereby making the entire country "dry." The article on the W. C. T. U. of the county may be referred to for additional facts concerning this federal amendment. Xenia has .now had the saloon or its counterpart for more than a century. It is true that there was a short time within the past few years when the saloon was driven out of the county, but it returned for the reason that a majority of the people felt that it was a good thing for the city. Some people like mince pie and others prefer custard ; some people believe in emptying the jails, poorhouses and insane asylums, while others want the saloon. It is all .a matter of taste. Certainly if there is any virtue in the saloon the people of Xenia ought to know it by this time ; they have had sufficient experience with it to judge its merits. From available records it appears that the first time Xenia was without a licensed saloon was in 1901, the election on September 3 of that year in Xenia standing 1,116 against and 651 in favor of the saloon. In 1906 the saloons were restored, but the election in the fall of 1908 again made the county "dry," the "dry" majority being 678. Subsequently the saloons were restored and remained open until August 10, 1910, when they again closed their doors. There were no licensed saloons in the county from that time until April 15, 1915, on which day they again opened in all their bibulous glory. The supreme court of the state decided that if a town in the county voted wet, even though the majority in the county was dry, that the town could retain the saloon. Under this decision the saloons of Xenia and Osborn opened their doors on the date above mentioned. While the licensed saloon was not in existence in the county, there was considerable bootlegging and illegal selling of all kinds, and thousands of dollars of fines were assessed by town and county officials—but most of the fines were never paid. They are carried to this day on the official records of the auditor's office. If the county officials cared to add a few thousand dollars to the treasury they might collect some of these fines. Xenia now has sixteen saloons and Osborn has one. Each saloon pays a license fee of $1,000, of which the city gets $500, the state gets $300, and the county infirmary receives $200. Some wise man must have had a hand in making the law which provided that some of the money derived from the saloon should go to the county infirmary. Undoubtedly this same man tried to get the saloon tax divided between the infirmary, orphans home, insane asylum and kindred institutions, but the people of the county are to be congratulated that a part of this ill-gotten money goes to the support of the infirmary. For the fiscal year closing July 1, 1917, the saloons of Greene county paid the sum of $16,582.86 for the privilege of doing business. Unfor- GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 781 tunately, the official records do not tell how much it cost the county and state to take care of the people who patronized the saloons. When the next history of Greene county is written there is little probability that the historian will have anything to tell about the saloon. By that time the word will have taken back its original meaning. Therefore, that future generations may know that at one time Xenia had saloons, these facts are set forth. Of the sixteen liquor establishments, variously known as saloons, bars, cafes and drinking parlors, which are to be found in Xenia in the spring of 1918, the records in the county auditor's office show that the property in which the .business is transacted is owned in eleven different instances by women. The only saloon-keeper in Xenia who has discontinued his business during the past year is A. C. Blair, who sold to W. A. Fiste on November 24, 1917. The sixteen licensed liquor dealers in Xenia on April 1, 1918, were as follow : Bert Blair, 16 North Whiteman street; A. E. Brundage, 107 East Main street; Michael Carroll, 102 East Second street ; Richard Dengess, South King street; D. A. Donavan, 17 South Whiteman street; M. J. Dugan, 29 North Whiteman street ; W. E. Fletcher, 114 South Detroit street; Harris & Harris (only colored saloon), 327 East Main street ; John A. Hornick, 122 East Main street; John G. Hornick, 1 09 East Main street; Huston & Jeffreys, 36 East Second street; J. P. Montgomery, 7 and 9 South Detroit street; Max Simon, 120 East Main street; Henry Sinz, 41 West Main street; Fred A. Harris, 327 East Main street ; William A. Fiste, 138 South Detroit street. The only other saloon in the county outside of Xenia is in Osborn, operated by John Oster & Son. MARRIAGE PERMITS. In early days the pioneer fathers were very rigid about giving their consent to the marriage of their daughters. It was always the practice for the young swain to undergo the ordeal of an interview with the father of the girl of his choice and to gain his consent. This does not mean that the young people never took the matter into their own hands when the father seemed to be obstreperous and without his consent, for there are instances where the pioneer Lochinvar in buckskin breeches, blue jean shirt and coonskin cap carried away his sweetheart from under the vigilant nose of her father. Of course, after their marriage they lived happily ever after. This, however, was not the usual method of procedure. If the young man was a likely chap and he seemed to give promise of being a suitable husband for his daughter, the father would give his consent. But the father's verbal acquiescence was not sufficient for the young man's peace of mind, and the permit of the bride's 782 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO father was put into writing and often sworn to before a justice of the peace, as will be noted by the following transcript of an old record : I hereby authorize the Clerk of Greene County to issue License for the Marriage of John Garvin to Ann Vance, My Daughter, for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given under my hand and seal this 18th Day of June, 1814. DAVID VANCE, J. P. Vance Tp. G. C. Witnesses JOHN MCCULLAM (Seal) DANIEL VANCE      (Seal) Sometimes the permit was not sworn to before a justice of the peace, and the signature of the prospective groom was attached, as follows : January 26, 1816.—This is to Certify that John B. Lawrence of Ross Township, Greene County, applied to me for my consent to Join in Matrimony with my Daughter, Amelia Vickers, of Vance Township and County of Greene. I have therefore granted the above named John B. Lawrence to marry my daughter in a Lawful manner, agreeable to an act made and found for such cases. Therefore you may grant said Lawrence License for the above named purpose without any doubt of being called in question in any future period.—Given under my hand and seal the day and year above first written, in pursuance of its being done in Vance Township, Greene County. JOHN B. LAWRENCE. RUTH VICKERS. LINCOLN IN XENIA IN 1861. There are still living in Xenia a number of people who can recall the brief stop made by Lincoln in the town on Wednesday, February 13, 1861, while he was on his way from his home in Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D. C., to be sworn in as President. On this eventful day in Xenia the train bearing him arrived from Cincinnati at II :55 a. m., and as soon as Lincoln stepped on the rear platform of the train a cannon boomed from the hill adjacent to the Pennsylvania station on the south. He spoke for a few minutes and shook hands with a number of the citizens of the town who were fortunate enough to be near the train. AN OLD-TIME FIDDLER. One of the most interesting as well as one of the oldest citizens of Xenia at this time is James Jefferies, a retired cabinet-maker, and who now is ninety-six years of age. He is a native of Petersburg, West Virginia, born in 1821, and came with his parents to Greene county and settled near Cedarville. There he hired out to a cabinet-maker in order to learn the trade and among his first duties was to assist in making coffins, which were then very much in demand because of the scourge of cholera which was then raging in the county. After he had become proficient he moved to Xenia and began working at his trade there. In 1870 he, with his nephew, erected a large brick building, which is now a part of the R. A. Kelley Company's cordage plant on \Vest Market street, for the purpose of manufacturing furniture. They also had a GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 783 store on Greene street. James Jefferies in his earlier years sought surcease from his day's work in his violin, on which he played all the old-time melodies, such as "Arkansas Traveler," "Turkey in the Straw," "Money Musk," and the like. It is worthy of note that Mr. Jefferies was present with his violin on the occasion of the first speech delivered by Whitelaw Reid. This was the occasion of the commencement exercises in a little school near Cedarville and the future ambassador to England was one of the graduates. On this occasion Mr. Jefferies furnished the music with his old violin. THE RENTED FARM. Among the numerous poems that have had their origin in Greene county none has probably been more widely quoted than "The Rented Farm," which was written by W. A. Paxson, of Jamestown, years ago and which was originally published by the Stockman at Pittsburgh, and which, by request, has been reprinted by that journal no fewer than a half dozen times. The poem also has found its way into numerous other farm journals and newspapers and has thus gained wide circulation over the country, earning its right to be here definitely preserved as a valuable contribution to Greene county literature. "Tis said that "Those who till the ground Have always most contentment found." In other words, the self-same thought, That "Those who have with nature wrought Should never play the rustic clown Who sold his farm and moved to town." But if old maxims can't prevail Be pleased to hear our o'ertrue tale : Old Farmer Hobson years ago Acquired the name of "Honest Joe." He and his wife, Melissa Jane, Lived in the house by "Maple Lane" So long that all the neighbors said That "until he and she were dead They both would stay upon the farm." There they were both secure from harm— No noisy brawls to pierce their ears— Nor riots dire to raise their fears ; There for almost three score of years They lived in peace, so far as known, Until their boys and girls were "grown And married off." And then, alone, Like two old doves, mated for life, Lived Farmer Hobson and his wife. Their children all had "settled down," Some in the country, some in town. And spite the little jealous cricks That will spring up between young chicks They were all "doing well enough." Said Honest Joe, "not half so tough 784 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO A time they have got to get along As Jane and I when we were young." And every year at least one day, Sometime in winter, sometimes May, In mem'ry of the natal day, Of father or of mother dear, Who both were born the self-same year, They'd get together, one and all, Both young and old, and great and small, And the old house would fairly ring, As they would laugh and talk and sing; And swift the hours would speed away Upon this anniversary day. Then to their homes again they'd hie, Like birds that to their nestlings fly, And, with sad eyes, poor Joe and Jane Would say, "Good-bye ! Come soon again !" And at the gate—the old yard gate— They'd stand and look, and sob, and wait Until the last was out of sight, Then turn and "do their chores for night." And with soft hearts alone again Were left old farmer Joe and Jane, Both growing old, and child-like, too, As old folks are most apt to do— For to us all the years go past, And whirl us through the world so fast, Old age comes creeping on apace Ere manhood learns its sphere to grace, And almost ere we are aware Our heads are silvered o'er with care. And thus the years went swiftly by, As to the happy years do fly, Until a year or so ago, A city friend said : "Uncle Joe, Why don't you come to town to live? There is no use for you to strive As you two do. Take my advice And move to town ; 'twill be so nice. Rent out your farm for money rent ; 'Twill make you more, not lose a cent, And so much easier you can live, And have so much more time to give To visiting, and such as that," And thus concluded this chit-chat. When Farmer. Hobson that same day Went slowly plodding on his way, He mused upon this "brand new" theme, And prodded up his sluggish team, And looked around, as if ashamed, And wondered if his team were lamed By such brisk driving. Then again, He slowly plodded down the lane, As if he feared to meet dear Jane. GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 785 His chores soon done, the horses fed, The wagon put beneath the shed, The harness hung upon the pin, The "mill-feed" placed within the bin, The cattle tied within their stall, The calves supplied, had ceased to bawl, The pigs from squealing had desisted, And Uncle Joe had just assisted Aunt Jane to milk the two fat cows, And walked beside her to the house With well-filled pail upon his arm, And glanced about him o'er the farm. The evening meal was then prepared, Their thankfulness in words declared By Uncle Joe. The meal in silence masticated, When Aunt Jane, somewhat agitated, Said, "What's the matter ? Hain't you well? What's happened that you hate to tell? I've noticed you for'n hour or so— You act so queer--what is it, Joe?" Said Honest Joe, as he wiped the dew That from his brain had oozed through, "I don't know whether to or not— I haven't given it 'second thought'— But then I guess I might as well The whole from the beginning tell, And so, to make it short, that Mr. Brown Asked me today to move to town, To rent the farm and get the cash, And go to town and 'cut a dash.' " "Yes, and everything 'go to smash.' " Said Jane. "It's no wonder, Joe, That you behaved so curious—no! If that's what's worrying your mind, Rest easy, then ; we're not the kind Of folks to lead a city life— You and your plain old country wife. We've lived here happy and contented And this farm never shall be rented As long as I'm alive. You've heard my say— I’ll live here till my dyin' day. I helped to pay for this here farm, And I would rather lose my arm Than see it go to stranger's hands. No, Joe, we're fixtures on these lands ; As they say, in them law instruments, We're 'tenants and hereditaments'— Belong to the farm as much as the fences, And surely you must have lost your senses To think for a minute that I would go To town to live—no, never, Joe." Joe sat and never "opened his head," But listened to every word she said ; For he had learned this lesson in life- 786 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO To never contradict his wife, But let her go and have her say, And in the end he'd have his way. Thus matters rested for several days, They each pursued their several ways, And neither referred to the matter again, Till at last the subject was broached by Jane. Says she : "Well, Joe, what would you say If I was to tell you that I to-day Had concluded to go to town awhile, To just please you. We can give it a trial. I'm getting old, as well as you, And there wouldn't be half so much to do. We could live so nice, just you and I, And if you like it, I will try To do my hest to be contented— But I hate to see the old farm rented." But, to be brief, they moved to town, In a house quite near to Mr. Brown, The farm was rented out for cash, To a farmer who was bold and rash. And, first, he didn't like the way The fences run, and so away He moved the rails that years ago Had been placed there by Uncle Joe ; He plowed up all the "little lots" Which had been seeded down in plots Of choicest grass to suit the taste Of their old owner ; and to waste Went all the work of many years Which almost brought his eyes to tears. The orchard, filled with choicest fruits, Became a pasture for the brutes, Which gnawed and browsed, and barked the trees, And many more such things as these Occurred, to show that the old farm Was in the way of direful harm. The windows, broke, were stuffed with rags, The gate upon the hinges sags ; The "palings" off, and in the yard The pigs and cattle standing guard Around the door, and 'neath the bowers Of Uncle's grapes and Auntie's flowers, Her Hollyhocks and beds of roses Were marked by little "porker" noses, Her pinks and peonies, daisies, too, Made fragrant cuds for cows to chew, While "horning" at the evergreens, And rubbing down the myrtle screens, The Honeysuckle's fragrant boughs Had gone to deck these selfsame cows. The garden gate was on the ground While in the garden might be found A drove of pigs, whose lusty snouts Were turning up the currant sprouts ; GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 787 While others, as if in rage, Were "rooting out" the thyme and sage Which Old Aunt Jane, with tender care, Long years ago had planted there. Old farmer Joe came down the lane To "see the things," and good Aunt Jane Concluded that she would come along "To get some air" and hear the song Of those old birds which every spring Came around the old farm-house to sing. And, as they slowly neared the house, And spied the yard well-filled with cows, The gates all standing open wide, They both with sorrow almost cried— For when they saw the work of years, The objects of their hopes and fears, All gone to ruin, naught but tears Could drown their grief. "'S too bad ! 'S too bad!" Said Uncle Joe. "It makes me sad To think that what we so much prized Should be destroyed as if despised." They rapped at the old "parlor" door, Where they had never rapped before, But where the guests of many years Had come to mingle joys and tears With them, here through this door They ne'er as strangers passed before ; But now as guests in their own home Must they at this time only come, And here again they did behold What they had prized far more than gold Had been abused and marred—destroyed. Those snowy walls with filth were cloyed ; The "spare room" into kitchen turned ; A maiden in the "parlor" churned ; The walls were pasted over with scraps, And nails qn which hung hats and caps ; The "mantel. piece" with "marbled stripes," Was filled with old tobacco pipes ; The wood work, spotless when they left, Was now of paint almost bereft ; And all about was so much changed, No wonder that they felt estranged. They looked about, but so dumfounded, By the destruction which surrounded Them on right and left, that they Declared "they hadn't time to stay, But must go back to town again" Both Uncle Joe and dear Aunt Jane. It was "too much." They both "broke down" Before they reached their home in town ; But not one word did either say, Except Aunt Jane, who (by the way) Remarked, as they came down the lane : "Well, Joe, you can't blame this on Jane." 788 - GREENE COUNTY, OHIO LASTLY : THE STUDY OF BIOGRAPHY. History, after all, is but collective biography. The collective biographies of the individuals composing a community, under the analysis of the thoughtful student of biography, become the history of the community thus composed. Particularly is this true of such a community as that of which this work treats. The basic elements of the population of Greene county have had representation here since the days of the beginning of an organic government in this section. The grandfathers and the great-grandfathers of the men who are now accounted leaders in the social and civic life of this community were the men who brought this community into being; the men who leveled the forests, founded the towns and villages and wrought here that wonder of human progress which we call civilization, wresting from an arrested and non-progressive race one of the fairest and most productive spots on the globe. The men who settled this region were men of wide vision, men possessed of the true pioneering spirit, men to whom the lure of the farther horizon was irresistible, and the work that they did here was well done. The foundations they laid were broad and deep and it is gratifying to note that their descendants in the main have seen fit here to remain, erecting on those foundations a superstructure of such proportions as to carry far the name and the fame of Greene county. The second volume of this work, to which the attention of the reader now passes, has to do with the biographies of the leading families of Greene county ; these representing, naturally, in the main what commonly and properly are known as "the old families" of the county. The thoughtful reader of the concluding volume of this work cannot fail in his perusal of its pages to be impressed with the truth of the statement which introduces this "lastly" of the first volume. For in this collection of biographies is found much of the heretofore unwritten history of Greene county; intimate and informative details of the lives and the labors of those stalwart men who took possession here, made history and then passed on, leaving to their descendants the task of carrying on the great work they had so laboriously and so unselfishly begun. Theirs was a pure labor of love, for no reward of a temporal character could requite the hardships they underwent in order that their posterity might benefit in the possession of fixed habitations and abiding places here on the spot which their clear vision recognized as wholly desirable. In the generations which have succeeded, these "old families" in the main have persisted. In a few instances perhaps some of these families have no representation here in the present generation, but these instances are so few as to prove the exception. In the nature of things, intermarriages in these families have been frequent, so that there has arisen here a fine community of interest based upon ties that bind this community as few such GREENE COUNTY, OHIO - 789 in the state are bound ; creating, in fact, a real community, a fine, neighborly relation in which all share and in which all take a proper pride. Due to these intermarriages and the continuing relations borne by the "old families" to the work of this community, the biographies contained in the succeeding pages will be found to cross and to recross, repeated references being found to the work done by the original settlers in establishing neighborly relations here. There will also be noted throughout these pages repeated references to the influence exerted by the various church establishments that were set up here in the then wilderness in the days of the pioneers and of the manner in which the influence of these respective establishments has persisted in the families now representing the pioneer stock. Other relations will be noted by the thoughtful reader, and it is to these that special attention is called, for in all this correlation there will be found much that will help in the critical interpretation of the real history of the community which the historian has so understandingly presented in the pages which precede this. Therefore the biographical volume of this work will be found to possess as much of value to the student of history as has the historical volume and its pages should be read with as much care, for therein oftimes will be found statements of fact that will make clear passages in the present volume that otherwise might not carry their full meaning save to those fully informed regarding the history of their home county. To the intelligent student of biography the following volume ought to prove a veritable "mine" of interest and to him is addressed a special invitation to give the succeeding pages his most thoughtful attention. If read from a correlative viewpoint they will be found to be not only wonderfully informative but intensely interesting.